When I left my agency job at the end of 2022, I was burnt out and grieving. After starting at entry level nearly 11 years earlier, I powered my way through five promotions, eventually managing large teams, dozens of clients, and millions in business. By nearly any measure, I had strived and I had succeeded. But my mental and physical health was at an all-time low.

I knew I needed a break. I bought a one-way plane ticket, planning to be away for six months. A full year and 12 passport stamps later, I had ridden a motorbike across Laos, become a scuba diving guide in the Philippines, attended Manchester Pride in England, crewed aboard a sailboat in Italy, trekked the mountains and desert of Morocco, and more.

It took me several months of not working for the stress and burnout to begin leaving my body. Early in my sabbatical, my eyes would still burst open with panic each morning, even without stacks of emails, Slack messages, and crises to attend to. I had to wean my body off of the daily cortisol hits it had grown accustomed to. I had nothing to do but relax, but still, it was a slow process. I could be sitting on the beach in Thailand with a drink in hand, but my mind would still be in a sprint, not knowing how to stop even when there was nothing to chase.

Over time, I was able to recalibrate. To get back to baseline—or rather, figure out what my baseline mental and physical health actually looked like without a constant flood of stress overwhelming my system. Gradually, my energy levels rose. I could do more on less sleep. My digestive issues and food sensitivities evaporated. My mind quieted. And along the narrow avenues of Nardo and Napoli, Italy, and the pebbled lanes of Labuan Bajo and Bukit Lawang, Indonesia, and a hundred places in between, I saw people doing things differently. I saw people demonstrate healthier relationships to work—making a living without making themselves miserable. Carrying the load when needed, and knowing when to set it down.

When I returned to the U.S. early this year, I began dipping my toe back into wage-earning life, knowing I needed to redefine what work should look like. I had to decide what role I wanted work to play in my life. Being a coach, a communicator, and a consultant is part of who I am. For me, serving the larger purpose of social progress and justice is essential to my existence–but I didn’t want to make myself sick doing it. I wondered if it was even possible. Was it selfish to believe I could find balance, peace, and joy, while doing my part to alleviate the deep injustices all around us?

That’s how my consulting practice was born. In this new chapter, I’m leveraging my expertise to make the greatest possible impact while caring for myself in the process. I’m working with grassroots organizations, coaching solo practitioners, and helping artists convey their unique perspectives.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be rolling out my business “for real.” On the precipice of that launch day milestone, I found myself reflecting on how I got here. The future is still unwritten, as Natasha Bedingfield would say. But I plan to do my darndest.

What do you think? Is this vision of balance possible? What has worked for you?